Rebuilding Bridges
by canny-bairn
Summary: The team are unexpectedly brought together after thirteen months apart, but after the long separation, can the team rebuild what they once had? Sequel to 'TALKING IS OVERRATED'. Team fic, no pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer – I own nothing related to Criminal Minds!**

**I've had a couple of people ask me for a follow up to 'Talking is overrated' and so here it is :D**

**This chapter is just my other fic 'Life moves on', but from now on the chapters will be the sequel to 'Talking is overrated.' It will probably go along the same format as 'Talking is overrated' and I hope there is interest.**

**If anyone wants to see anything in particular, let me know, I have a basic idea of what is going to happen but nothing is set in stone yet.**

**As always let me know what you think!**

...

Emily Prentiss stepped out of the elevator as it reached the ground floor. She'd been travelling for the last eight months, her most recent location, London, was her second of last stop before heading back to the States.

Since she had been transferred out of the BAU, life as an FBI agent hadn't exactly met her previous standards, and after wrestling to the ground a teenager dressed in hotdog suit in Tulsa, after mistaking him for a benefit cheat, her supervisor had strongly suggested some time off.

The brunette had gone round Asia with her estranged Ambassador father on a diplomatic tour, met some Australian Post-Grad students on a gap leave as she travelled South Africa and visited some of her mother's family in France before sightseeing in London.

The hotel's reception was bustling with people, an unusually warm summer had taken over the English capital and swarms of tourists had descended on the city.

Before she could reach the rotating glass doors, a hand tapped her shoulder, to seek her attention. Turning, Prentiss found the formally attired concierge, a small man with a northern accent whose cheeks were always appeared to be flushed, staring at her. "Miss Prentiss, there's a message for you at reception"

...

"Penelope, I'm going to need an exact location" Morgan stressed, his phone was stuck to his ear, each second Garcia took to locate the phone signal felt like hours to the unit Chief as he looked towards his newbie recruits who were surrounding him, in an alley way in Charleston, South Carolina.

"Give me a minute my hunk of burning love... erm, sorry boss" The red head smirked as she typed frantically.

It had been a year since the team had been disbanded and the new team was slowly gaining more and more courage under Morgan's leadership, but Garcia's flirty behaviour had soon returned, after a period of transition. Getting a result, the technical analyst grinned broadly, towards the screen at her success. "1140 Cussler and West, you're about four streets away"

"Thanks baby-girl" Morgan praised, ignoring the bewildered glances his younger colleagues were throwing him. "Erm one more thing, my Prince"

Pausing momentarily as he let the other agents pass. "What's up Garcia?"

"We just got a visit from Strauss" Garcia bit the inside of her cheek in anticipation.

...

Rossi smiled thankfully as he looked around the book shop at the standing ovation. His latest book had been number one in the New York Times bestseller list for the last three weeks and his national book tour was running to an end. He was due in Europe at the end of the month, but the experienced agent was just looking forward to returning back to his not so little cabin in Little Creek.

After teaching at the Academy for four months, the profiler returned to writing, his long term memory forgetting the trials and tribulations related to his deadline led publishers.

"Thank you for coming out tonight, Burbank. Goodnight" Rossi smiled, signing a few of books that were thrust in his hand as he tried to make it across the room to his publicist.

Shaking the shop owner's hand, Rossi and his brunette publicist strolled out into the warm Californian air towards the car. "So did I do well?" He whispered into the younger woman's ear, hoarsely.

"You managed to smile this time. That was a bonus" The woman smirked as she placed her hand on his forearm, stilling the former agent. "Dave, you got a phone call while you were up there"

...

Reid added the last file to the pile that had grown over the long day. It was softly raining outside as he glanced out of the blinds of the fourth floor in the DC Field office. Still deskbound, the move to non active duty hadn't been as difficult as the young doctor first anticipated and since he was moved to white collar, the former youngest member of the BAU was slowly starting to feel like a member of a team again.

"You know, with eidetic memory of yours, you'd think you would have been done earlier." The female agent sitting opposite him smirked at his exasperated look.

"I would have been done sooner if you and Porter didn't add files to my workload." Reid shook his head free from the memory of Morgan and Prentiss doing similar things when they all worked together.

The female agent stood and came round to his side of the desk. "So are you going to come to Porter's birthday party on Tuesday?"

Shrugging, Reid shifted uncomfortably as his flirty colleague flicked her dark auburn hair as she looked down at him. Before he could reply a figure emerged from his supervisor's office. A burly man, the young doctor's SAC, cleared his throat, his expression grave as he indicated towards the lanky man to follow him. "Reid I just got a phone call from Quantico, we need to talk."

...

JJ struggled to balance her squirming son along with her handbag and case files under the bright red umbrella as she jogged to her front door, from the car while the rain pelted down in the Portland suburb.

Taking her key out of her mouth, the blonde finally nudged the door handle down and opened it with her elbow, placing Henry down on the door mat and freeing the hyper boy from her arms. Watching as the fair hair child ran towards the living room and his toys that were scattered around the disorganised L-shaped room.

Flicking on the light as the summer thunder roared in the distance, the newly promoted unit chief smiled at her son's ability to create such destruction in a few seconds as she picked up the trail of clothing left behind him while he sat on the floor, playing with his cars. "I'm going to make dinner now sweetie, can you tidy some of your toys away, please."

"Uh-huh," Henry nodded, fully emerged in his racing his blue truck alongside his red sports car.

Sighing, JJ pressed the button on her phone, listening as various colleagues and family member's voices left messages asking the Pennsylvanian to call them back. She rifled through the fridge to find something edible for the pair of them after a long week that, involved no food shopping, however the sound of her former supervisor and close friend caught her attention.

"JJ, it's me. Everything's okay, we're still at Jack's Grandparent's in Florida, I hope Henry's feeling better now. I just need you to call me back as soon as you can, okay. Thanks"

...

Hotch watched Jack carefully as his young son splashed around in the pool with his grandfather, while the former profiler sat with his ex mother in law under the shade. Over the last year, he'd spent most of his time trying to reconnect with his son and adjusted to life outside of the Bureau.

He'd gone back to Law and was living in New York, so he could be close to his brother, enjoying the closer to nine to five life-style he'd negotiated to have with his company but, the normal life style his former wife had begged for him to go back too, was slowly driving the controlled raven haired man insane. A part of him missed the intense Bureau work, but in reality he knew it was the feeling of being a part of something.

The greying woman besides him placed a hand on the experienced man's forearm, as she intently watched her grandson. "He's happy Aaron. You're doing a great job with him. After Haley... well, I had my doubts."

"It's been difficult but all I want is for Jack to be happy, Gail. I know things didn't work out for my marriage with your daughter, but I did love her and would do anything for my son." Hotch smiled grateful for the small compliment, coming from a woman's mouth, he'd never got praise from.

"Thank you for bringing him down here for his school vacation, he reminds me so much of her." Gail smiled sadly listening to Jack's laugh he inherited from his mom.

The interrupting vibration of Hotch's cell startled the pair. Picking up the small object, he excused himself from the table and wandered over to the house before answering. "Hey JJ, how are you...? That's good... yeah we're fine. I know I sounded off, it's just, I think we have a problem."

...

**Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimed!**

**So here's the first chapter of the sequel. I read some of the comments from 'Talking is overrated' and I'll try and add some of those thought into this fic. I don't think there will be any pairings but please feel free to read into anything you want :D**

**Enjoy!**

...

The elevator doors slipped open on the ground floor. A couple of agents stepped out, ignoring the tall man waiting for the small compartment to reach his floor.

Grateful that the elevator was empty on its return up the building, once the steel doors closed, Hotch rested against the cool mirror and took a deep breath.

The former agent was uncharacteristically casual. Still dressed in one of his statement suits, the blue shirt underneath the black suit jacket was opened at the neck, and he wore no tie.

It had been four days since he called JJ from his ex parent's in-law house after receiving an unusual phone call.

Hotch blinked a few times, attempting to control the surge of nerves as he began to silently fret over his return to the Virginian office and seeing his somewhat estranged team once again.

Since his BAU team had been disbanded thirteen months prior, Hotch's life had changed dramatically. The once again prosecutor had packed up his life in DC and moved his young son to New York, forged a new career and had even gone on a few disastrous dates.

The suburbs of DC held memories for the lawyer, some good, but all clouded by the memory of his dead ex wife and his team that had combusted into flames, destroying the family they once had. After Strauss had made the decision to revamp the BAU over a year ago, Hotch had felt helpless. He was no longer in control and by moving he was regaining some sense of balance in his life.

His brother was in New York and Jack had instantly thrived in the new environment. The sight of his father moving on, helped the little boy to realise he could be happy too.

JJ was a big help. The blonde was going through the same motions, moving with her son to a new place without the security of the BAU and through the Pennsylvanian, he got back into law.

JJ got him in touch with a friend of hers who was a former DA and owned his own legal practice, and somehow the profiler re found his love of practicing law, even if he missed profiling.

JJ was also his link to the team.

A team that was no longer his, instead Morgan held the reigns of the first BAU team.

Hotch had been in contact with Morgan in the beginning. Giving friendly advice and showing his support for the younger man's new position.

Then life continued and the phone calls decreased.

Garcia called regularly, but only because she had heard from JJ what he'd been up to and the eccentric analyst wanted to keep Hotch up to date with the rest of the team's shenanigans.

Rossi usually phoned once a month to check in, whereas Prentiss and Reid would email their previous supervisor once in a blue moon.

Then four days ago, came the phone call.

The elevator doors parted slowly and with hesitance, he turned left down the corridor. The dark haired man froze at the sight of a few of his colleagues in the waiting area.

Rossi and Prentiss were in deep conversation as they sat on the black leather chair's that were pressed against the greying walls.

Morgan and Garcia were laughing at one of the names on a portrait of a former Bureau director that hung on the wall opposite the row of chairs in the narrow corridor, while Reid distanced himself from the rest of the group as he cradled his phone to his ear, finding solace away from the inevitable small talk.

Feeling a hand pressed against his shoulder. Hotch turned slightly, a smile twitched his lips as JJ came to stand beside him securely holding a coffee cup in her perfectly manicured hands. "Thank god you're finally here."

"I'm the last one?" Hotch asked as he kissed the blonde's cheek.

JJ nodded grimly. "You used to hate tardiness if I remember correctly."

"Where's Henry?" Hotch stepped into stride with the blonde as they continued down the corridor towards the rest of their former colleagues.

JJ lowered her voice not to warn everyone of their presence. "Will came to Portland to babysit."

"Really?" Hotch raised an eye, knowing JJ's family life had fallen to the curse of many FBI agents before her.

"Henry comes first." JJ replied warmly. "How's Jack?"

Before the suited man could respond, the technical analyst made everyone jump as she let out a short squeal at the sight of her former unit chief walking towards them. "Hotch! You're here."

The eccentric blonde still continuously attempted to pick up the pieces created by the last case they all worked together as a team, as any good Fairy Godmother would, but she had been vocally dissatisfied by the small progress her group of friends had made in twelve months.

Garcia told Hotch about Rossi's retirement and new book contract, Morgan heard from his baby girl that Prentiss was going on sabbatical and wanted to travel. She called Rossi one late night to tell the veteran agent about Reid's new team in DC and often got in touch with JJ, usually just for plain old gossip or, more often than not, wanting updates from the previous BAU liaison on Hotch's personal life, that he wasn't comfortable giving others, such as his venture back into the legal system.

The blondes face broke out into a wide grin as she collided with the much taller professional and dragged him into a lung piercing hug. "Garcia. Everyone."

Hotch nodded to the rest of the congregated former colleagues but only shook Morgan's hand as the younger man, and successor, moved forward to greet him. "Have you all been here long?"

"Feels like forever." JJ muttered under her breath in a smirk, as the rest of the team shook their heads politely.

An uncomfortable silence took over the group as everyone stood awkwardly in the middle of the corridor.

A few moments later, everyone's eyes widened after the sound of a door opening revealed a memorable face.

Dr Lauder, the man who suggested the original team should be disbanded, smiled at the unenthused faces.

His thick Texan accent, sounded more amused than anything else, as he signalled for the motionless men and women to follow him. "Shall we get started?"

...

**Let me know what you think! **


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